Toy and games manufacturer Hasbro has appointed Kimberly-Clark senior in-house lawyer Julia Runnacles as its new European head of legal.

Runnacles will join the company on 7 August after four years at the US home-care giant. She will be based at Hasbro's UK offices in Middlesex and will report to international general counsel Nigel Hutton.

Runnacles' previous in-house roles include six years with the Walt Disney Company.

At Hasbro she replaces Delli Mireskandari, who recently left after more than seven years to join international clothing giant Gap as its new general counsel for Europe.

Runnacles told Legal Week: "This is a very fast-moving industry with plenty of challenges and an interesting management position."

The news will be of interest to Hasbro's advisers in Europe such as Denton Wilde Sapte, Wragge & Co and Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

Hasbro's worldwide legal function is headed up by general counsel Barry Nagler, who is based at the company's headquarters in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Nagler joined the company in 2000 from sports clothing retailer Reebok where he spent three years as general counsel.

Hasbro, whose products include the Monopoly board game and the Star Wars toys, is the world's second largest toy and games maker.